Posts tagged ‘self-control’

Studying God’s word allows us to obtain knowledge of who God is, who we are and who we are in God. When we are able to gain such critical knowledge, and then begin to act on that knowledge, it leads us steady to having SELF-CONTROL over every aspect of our daily lives. Today, allow me the opportunity to talk with you for a few minutes on the subject of LEARNING SELF CONTROL. Click on the video and let us begin:

SELF CONTROL is one of the fruits of the Spirit; SELF-CONTROL refers to mastery over sinful human desires in every aspect of our life. The Greeks considered this a highly prized virtue. Their focus, of course, was entirely on self-effort, but the problem was that self-effort always fails in the long run because it may control the body but does not affect inward desires.

Therefore, the WORD OF GOD speaks to us and says, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7 ESV)

God‘s Marvelous Light Show us the way to SELF-CONTROL (Photo by Pastor Davis) Studying God’s word allows us to obtain knowledge of who God is, who we are and who we are in God.

The Bible commands us to study to show ourselves approved; when we do this we reflect a wiliness to be obedient to God, thereby placing ourselves in a position in knowing that, “OBTAINING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD LEADS TO SELF CONTROL!”

Studying God’s word allows us to obtain knowledge of who God is, who we are and who we are in God. When we are able to gain such critical knowledge, and then begin to act on that knowledge, it leads us steady to having SELF-CONTROL over every aspect of our daily lives.

SELF CONTROL is one of the fruits of the Spirit; SELF-CONTROL refers to mastery over sinful human desires in every aspect of our life. The Greeks considered this a highly prized virtue. Their focus, of course, was entirely on self-effort, but the problem was that self-effort always fails in the long run because it may control the body but does not affect inward desires.

Therefore, the WORD OF GOD speaks to us and says, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7 ESV)

The quality of SELF-CONTROL must then lead to patient endurance, the ability to steadfastly endure suffering or evil without giving up one’s faith. Endurance is not a stoic indifference to whatever fate allows; rather, it springs from faith in God’s goodness and control over all that happens in believer’s lives.

Such endurance leads to godliness, this is another word that is unusual to the New Testament, but common to Greek ethics lists of that day, we see that Paul emphasized godliness in the Pastoral Epistles as being the virtue that should characterize the life and conduct of the believers. Godliness was the primary word for “religion” and referred to a person’s correct attitudes toward God and people, usually referring to performing obligatory duties. Here we discover in 1st Peter the word describes an awareness of God in all of life – a lifestyle that exemplifies Christ and is empowered by him (the same word is used in (1st Peter 1:3).

We as Christians and believers must have a right relationship with God and right relationships with fellow believers. The false teachers claimed such “godliness,” but were sadly lacking in reverence toward God and in good attitudes toward others. For all believers, it is a requirement that if we want to obtain SELF-CONTROL over all aspects of our lives, we must work hard to prove that we really are among those God has called and chosen to reflect His teachings and training to overcome SELF. Pause your thoughts and reading for a few minutes and watch this short video clip teaching on SELF-CONTROL.

Now listen to how Paul describes to us how he trained to gain SELF-CONTROL over his physical body. He says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians (9:24-27 ESV).

In closing, I tell you that every believer should be putting out the kind of effort for the reward of God’s Kingdom that an athlete puts out to merely win a wreath. In order to do so, it requires you to develop SELF-CONTROL and practice SELF-CONTROL daily.

Now let us learn the lesson of SELF-CONTROL that Paul teaches us in this Scripture, because he practiced what he preached. He had to live by the gospel and therefore he practiced self-denial like the athletes just described in this Scripture. Paul did not run the race aimlessly, nor was he like a boxer who misses his punches. Instead, he kept his eyes focused on the goal, running straight for it, with purpose in every step. He did not allow himself to be sidetracked and he did not waste time becoming lazy. He kept on, disciplining and training his body.

Paul pictured life as a battle. We as Believers must not become lazy for Satan seeks to cause us to stumble, sin continues to buffet, and sorrow and pain are a daily reality. Instead of being bound by our bodies, we as believers must diligently discipline ourselves in our Christians lives in order to stay “in shape.” When we truly learn to do this, we will be in the process of learning the truth and that is, “OBTAINING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD LEADS TO SELF CONTROL!”

Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy the truth and do not sell it— wisdom, instruction and insight as well. The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. May your father and mother rejoice; may she who gave you birth be joyful! (Proverbs 23:22-25)

Let me begin by giving you a working definition of what Self-Discipline is. Self Discipline may be defined simply as that quality that allows a person to do what needs to be done when he or she doesn’t feel like doing it.

Now for all of us, our training in the art of self-discipline begin the very moment when we come into the knowledge of the truth of this proverb, “listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.” Self-Discipline means that you are wise enough to obey this proverb and have acquired enough wisdom, knowledge and understanding to begin the process of training your mind as well as your physical body in the art of self-discipline, Being obedient to the word and able to climb that great mountain of obstacles, and manifest your dreams into reality.

As a Godly leader, and a follower of Jesus, our spiritual lives should form the core of our character. Our training should be a daily process in building up the spiritual mind in order that it will always prevail against the evil spirits of the devil. Our training should be like that of a runner or a boxer. During the course of a race, runners don’t stagger from one lane to another. They rivet their attention on the finish line and run a disciplined race toward it. So also boxers train with purpose so they can absorb powerful blows without falling down. They build up their physical stamina so that their legs will hold out for the final rounds.

A wrestler once asked his coach, “can’t I smoke and drink and have a good time and still wrestle?” The coach replied, “yes you can, but you can’t win! We as Christians and godly leaders can’t win the race either, if we are unwilling to discipline ourselves to studying and obeying the word of God.

Now if you truly want to be a godly leader, you must cultivate your spiritual journey like a world-class athlete. Why? In order for you to finish the race without being disqualified, you must develop the art of self-control. By doing this you can and will affect other areas of your life-how we treat others, where we go for answers to major decisions, and the skills we use in accomplishing our daily tasks.

When we study (2 Timothy 1:7), we soon discover that Paul was prompted to encourage his fellow worker to maintain a holy boldness and assurance in his position of spiritual leadership. Paul had commissioned Timothy to oversee many of the churches in the Roman province of Asia, and this task required “a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” Self-discipline is needed to stretch us beyond our own comfort zones and areas of personal inertia. For some, the needed discipline will be more in the realm of the emotions; for others the focus of self-control will be in the realm of the mind or of the will.

Writing to the Galatians, Paul said that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). While people without Christ can exercise self-control, this quality in its fullest expression of character transformation is a part of the spiritual fruit that only the Holy Spirit can produce in us.

Self-discipline is seldom easy. Paul’s words to Timothy revealed that this young man probably struggled with it in his ministry. And most leaders who come across the need for more self-discipline in their lives struggle at times as well. God’s Spirit is the power source behind self-discipline.

Now if you understand the truth that is revealed by Paul in his message to Timothy, and that the power source behind self-discipline is God, I say to you right here and now, if you want to be an effective leader, identify the habits you need to build into your life so you can lead with diligence, habits such as physical fitness, balance between work and home, financial and personal accountability, proactively in the workplace, and the like. Strap on your shoes and get going. Disciplined habits will give you the momentum you need to not only move forward, but also to run your earthly race with strength and purpose.

The need for self-discipline applies in a leader’s personal life as well as in the workplace. Composure, presence of mind, cool headedness, patience, self-possession, restraints, only a few people display these qualities, and those who do usually make effective godly leaders. People who demonstrate the fruit of self-control are productive, dependable and influential.

History has repeatedly witnessed the combination of great power without moral restraint, and the results have always been disastrous. How reassuring to know that the ultimate power behind all things is also the supreme source of good who demonstrates patience and mercy toward humanity always with their minds focus on God and practicing the art of self-discipline. .

Now begin to make all the necessary changes in your life today to finish this journey, by self-disciplining yourself to be a godly leader and claim victory at every turn you make in the name of Jesus.

KNOWING GOD LEADS TO SELF CONTROL; as one of the fruits of the Spirit, self-control refers to mastery over sinful human desires in every aspect of life. The Greeks considered this a highly prized virtue. Their focus, of course, was entirely on self-effort, but the problem was that self-effort always fails in the long run because it may control the body but does not affect inward desires. We know from Romans 8:13 and Galatians 5:22-23 that Christians have the Holy Spirit’s help to gain self-control.

The quality of self-control must then lead to patient endurance, the ability to steadfastly endure suffering or evil without giving up one’s faith. Endurance is not a stoic indifference to whatever fate allows; rather, it springs from faith in God’s goodness and control over all that happens in believers lives.

Such endurance leads to godliness, this is another word that is unusual to the New Testament, but common to Greek ethics lists of that day, we see that Paul emphasized godliness in the Pastoral Epistles as being the virtue that should characterize the life and conduct of the believers. Godliness was the primary word for “religion” and referred to a person’s correct attitudes toward God and people, usually referring to performing obligatory duties. Here we discover in 1st Peter the word describes an awareness of God in all of life – a lifestyle that exemplifies Christ and is empowered by him (the same word is used in (1st Peter 1:3). Christians must have a right relationship with God and right relationships with fellow believers. The false teachers claimed such “godliness,” but were sadly lacking in reverence toward God and in good attitudes toward others.